Nearly 60% of general fund goes for public safety; 39% goes for general county operations; 1.5% for social services; and 2.2% is miscellaneous spending and debt service, Russell said.
Russell said the general fund budget is 5.79% larger than the 2021 general fund appropriation of more than $73.9 million. He said the county had targeted a budget increase of 3% but went over the target due to other factors.
He said the budget increases for 2022 are due to wage pressure as experienced in the private and public sectors.
“This is for entry-level and certified personnel, and for retention of employees,” Russell said.
He said other budget expense increases include $1.5 million in jail operations as the size of the county jail nearly doubled from 270 to 500 beds for inmate healthcare and for higher operating costs for natural gas, maintenance and utilities. The new $52 million jail opened in October.
The county is providing funding for proactive cybersecurity upgrades as recommended by the county telecommunications department; even-year election cycle costs was another reason for an increased budget.
Warren County is seeing its 2021 end-of-year revenue continue to trend higher again as it did in 2020.
Through November, the county’s revenue was $91 million, up from the $80 million that was projected, Russell said. Since Jan. 1, the county has spent 73% of its budgeted revenues for 2021 or $59 million of the $78 million budgeted.
Other revenue highlights include:
- Property tax up nearly $1 million with a low number of tax delinquencies.
- Sales tax revenue is up 5.7% over the same time in 2020.
- Building permits are up $300,000 than anticipated for 2021.
- Investment income is up and on target to hit $3.5 million.
Russell said in 2022 the county will see a $24 million reduction in property tax revenue due to the commissioner’s decision last month to declare a one-day tax holiday for the property taxes that only go for county operations.
In addition, the commissioners are setting aside another $10 million to build its infrastructure bank fund, a five-year project to accumulate $35 million to accelerate county projects proposed by the county engineer’s office. It is projected to generate as much as $44 million.
The commissioners are also setting aside $12 million for the county’s rainy day fund.
Commissioner Shannon Jones expressed her appreciation to the department heads, appointed and elected officials for their work in developing the 2022 budget. She said the county officials brought forward a budget that was “fiscally conservative and responsible” for taxpayers.
“(It’s) consistent with the way we manage the county,” she said.
Commissioner Tom Grossmann praised the fiscal responsibility of county officials, adding that officials come in with reasonable requests and projects. He also said completion of the new jail was a big accomplishment this year.
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